Mababe River Lodge & Campsite

Mababe River Lodge & Camping is located in Mababe at B334 Road (you need a 4x4), 115 km north of Maun. The lodge offers 5 chalets and 8 camping sites. There is a campshop, restaurant with breakfast, lunch & dinner, pool, bar & comfortable lounge, and terrace with view the waterhole. Outfit and layout provide a high-quality bush atmosphere. Service is friendly & helpful. A 3-hour game drive sits you back USD 95, a serious rip-off. We opted for camping and had dinner at the lodge. We had a site with barbecue facility, lighting, and a private shower & toilet facility. The camping in not gated. After dusk always walk with a torch. In the dark hyenas and buffalo roam the camping and often a hippo walks by. Mababe River is a nice lodge & camping, and a fine choice for 1 or 2 nights. Recommended.

We stayed here for one night at the campsite and for one night in the lodge and it was an awesome experience! The campsite was very spacious, good equipped with private ablution, an outdoor kitchenblock and a braai station. We loved it! The lodge has a beautiful location with a restaurant, a bar and a swimming pool with a nice view. The room was cozy, clean and we really felt at home. The staff was great, always helpful, really friendly and did amazing service - a lot of other lodges should take an example from that! And the dinner was just awesome - really fresh, tasty and good portions. We would loved to stay longer and will definitely come back 🧡 Would recommend everyone to stay here!

Our stay was unfortunately not what we expected. From the moment we arrived, there were countless rules and restrictions – even a big sign at the entrance listing them all, which was quite unwelcoming. What’s more frustrating is that none of these rules were mentioned during the booking process on Booking.com. One of the most inconvenient rules was the complete ban on eating or drinking in the rooms. We traveled with our camper, bringing our own food and even a small kitchen setup, thinking we could at least prepare our own meals since the listing mentioned an available kitchen. However, we were told this was not allowed unless we booked a camping spot, not a room. This critical detail wasn’t disclosed during the booking process. Adding to the frustration, the prices at the on-site restaurant were shockingly high. A small can of cola cost $8, and a simple meal of chicken, grains, salad, and pudding was $23. Thankfully, we found a picnic site just 300 meters from the entrance where we could finally prepare our own meals. Overall, we felt disappointed and a bit misled, and we wouldn’t recommend this place to travelers who value flexibility and transparent information.

A great experience staying here. The staff were very friendly and accommodating. They helped clean the vehicles. The food was delicious and the chef would come out and check on the guests. There are plenty of animals to watch during sunset and sunrise and the lounge near the restaurant is quite comfy. The only thing that could be improved is if there was WiFi in the rooms.

This lodge is perfectly located for exploring Moremi and Savuti, and we spent three nights enjoying its modern, well-maintained facilities. We loved our room (Room 1), especially the outdoor shower and bathtub, and the abundant wildlife around the camp—hippos, elephants, game, and even wild dogs—was a true highlight. Watching them from our balcony or the bar and pool area was unforgettable. However, shortcomings in the bar and restaurant service left a disappointing impression. On one day, breakfast was simply forgotten (staff overslept, nearly 1h late), and on another, the staff appeared unmotivated and disengaged (constantly on their cell phone), lacking initiative and guest interaction. If service in these areas is improved, this lodge has every potential to offer an exceptional overall experience.

A true hidden gem off the beaten track Mababe River Lodge is far more than just a stopover between Savuti and Moremi – it’s a true hidden gem! This is a place where you can truly relax and enjoy, with excellent value for money. Unlike many other lodges in the area that often remain empty due to overpriced rates, Mababe River Lodge stands out with its authentic charm, fair pricing, and an overall wonderful experience. What really makes this place special is the incredible team on site – who go above and beyond to make you feel genuinely welcome and at home. Their warmth and dedication are truly heartwarming. All in all, a place to enjoy, unwind, and definitely return to. If six stars were possible, this lodge would absolutely deserve them!

Good campsites with private and clean and well lit) toilet/shower block. Not that far from each other but a respectable distance. The bar/restaurant is perfect. Lovely place to watch the sunrise with a cup of coffee. During the day good place to relax at the pool, sun chairs and a bar. Friendly check-in. I don't understand why anyone would think this is a bad place. Drive towards Moremi along the Khwai river. It's amazing. Lots of wildlife (even better than Moremi itself but we might have had bad luck;))

After 6 months of travel in Africa we found the 2nd place for the worst hospitality after Dwesa-Cwebe NR in South Africa, but has been difficult to decide between the 1st and 2nd place. The campsite is located in a strategic place, have private good ablutions, but the price that you pay, 980 pula for 1 night in campsite is not correlated to the services. Bad value for money!!! Immediately after paying, the receptionist said us that is not allowed for the customers of the campsite go to the bar after 6 pm…. But after seeing the dismay on our faces she said that we could access because there were not many guests in the Lodge…. You MUST book the dinner, BUT the menu is fixed, and if you don’t like the menu you have 2 choices: 1) you don’t eat nothing 2) you eat only to survive We decided to drink something to the bar looking the sunset, and we order 2 French fries….. the answer of the manager: impossible, because we don’t have enough electricity to switch on the deep fryer….. What a shame. I wrote this review while sitting at the bar curious what would have happened, and 30 minutes later the owner of the campsite arrogantly knocked on the windows of my van, aggressively urging me to remove the review. I said: no Sir…. He told me to leave the campsite immediately I reply: perfect, give me my money back He gave me my money back (the only good thing in the evening) These people don't even know the meaning of the word HOSPITALITY, they think they are the owners of a small fiefdom, so, if you can avoid this place, is better for your soul